Album release party checklist for independent artists

Pick the format first, because it sets the room, the gear and the length of the night. A live show means you play the new songs to a room. A listening party means people hear the finished record together, with you there to talk about it. Either can end with something to take home.

• Decide whether the party falls before, on or after the day the record comes out, and tell people which. A party before release is a first listen. A party after it can show off finished copies.
• Book a room that fits the format. Ask about sound, load-in, curfew and whether the room takes a share of merch sales.
• Make a guest list, even a rough one. It is the first number you need when you decide how many cards to order.
• Ask someone to run the door or the merch table, so you are free to play and talk.
• Decide how you will take payment. Slappcard does not take payment from fans, so bring your own way.
• Make a poster or a flyer if you like. A plain QR code that points to your event page is enough for those, and the music QR code guide shows how to print one that scans.

No. A party marks the release; it does not make it. If you want the record on streaming services, a distributor does that, and Slappcard does not distribute to them. Each distributor has its own rules for cover art, and the album cover size guide lists several with sources.

Before the date, have these ready:

• The final masters and the final cover art, in one folder.
• The tracklist in the order you want people to hear it.
• Your credits and thank-yous, written once, so you can paste them everywhere.

Something small that points back to the music. A flyer or sticker with a plain QR code to your release link does that. A printed card that opens your music behind an email does it too, and it also leaves you a list of the guests who unlocked it. Pick whichever fits your budget and your room.

Yes. A Slappcard is a printed card, 2 × 3.5 in and portrait, with a QR code. A guest scans it with the phone camera, enters a first name and an email, and the player opens. There is no app. You can sell the card, bundle it with a ticket, or hand it out free.

• Scan one of your cards in the room before the doors open. A card page needs a phone signal or Wi-Fi, and some rooms have neither.
• Put a sign where the cards are. Say what the card is in a few words, and the price or that it is free.
• Say one line from the stage or at the table: "Scan this with your camera. It opens the record."
• In a dim room, hold the card up to the light or use the phone's flashlight so the camera can read it.
• Note the date and a rough head count, so you can compare the dashboard with the room afterwards.

The full table routine, with what to say when a guest hesitates, is in the guide to selling music at shows.

• Email the guests who ticked the news box. They are the ones you can export.
• Say who you are and where they met you, then give them one thing to do, such as the date of your next show.
• Include a way to opt out.
• Open your dashboard. Comparing scans with unlocks shows roughly how many guests stopped at the email step.

Use your own email tool. The artist sends that news, not Slappcard.

• It does not put your music on Spotify or any other streaming service. Slappcard does not distribute to them.
• It does not take payment from fans.
• It is not locked to the person you hand it to. The link is printed on every card, so anyone holding or photographing a card can open it, and search engines are told not to list it.
• It ships to the US and Canada only.

Still choosing a service? Read how to choose download cards. Ready to order? The pricing page lists the pack sizes.